Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-12-02
ASSASSINS.
MURDEROUS EXPLOITS or MIh
SOURI BORDER RUFFIANS
IN IOWA.

IN IOWA.
A FAMILY OF THIEVES, ROBBERS
AND MURDRRERS-A WHOLE
COUNTY BULLDOZED BY THEN
THE PEOPLE FINALLY AROUSED.
A dispatch from EldOra, Iowa, to
the New York Tribune says: Thir-
ty years ago there moved into Har-
din county family named Rains.
bOrger, consisting Of the father,
Geo. RainsbOrger, and five sons,
William, Finley, Nathan, Emanuel
and Frank. There we're also five
daughters. William, the eldest
son, was married when he came
here, and had raised a family of
four boys, who pride themselves on
their notOrietY as Rainsborgers.
William had served a term in the
penitentiary in Missouri before he
came to this county. They were
all poor when they came here, and
to replenlsh their larders they
made frequent Ievies on their
neighbOrs' stock. The Rainsborger
methods of doing business frequent
ly led to the arrest of some member
of the family, but they we're always
able to establish an alibi. In Feb
ruary, 1886, "Fin" RalnsbOrger
stabbed and killed Charles Wales
in crowded store at Steamboat
Dock. This act brought the fami-
ly into general notOriety for the
first time. The defense was man.
aged so cleverly that "FIn" only
served two years.
When he returned from the pen
ltentiary, his brothers were by de-
grees drawn into his crimes. The
torch of the lncendiary or the
manning of their stock soon con-
vinced the most courageous that it
was dangerous business to cause
tho arrest of Rainsborger, or to
testify against him. Not until the
murder of EnOch Johnson on Nov
ember IS, 1884, which reused the
people of this and adjoining coun-
ties, was there any concert Ofaction
in bringing the scoundrels to JUS
tlce. Johnson was a counterfeiter
who married Nettie RainsbOrger
and was murdered by "Frank" and
"Nate' RaInsborger. No evidence
was found duplicating the Rains
borgers, but six weeks after the
murder Nettie Rainsborger sent
word to the coroner that she was
afraid of her life, and wanted him
to help her to get away from home.
The Rext day she was brought to
Eldora, and had to be guarded for
nearly a year, so determined were
the gang to kill her. Nate and
Frank we're both sent to the peni.
tentiary for life on their sisters
evidence. In March the Supreme
Court of Iowa granted Nate new
trial on a writ of error.
Coroner Underwood and DR..
Rittenour, who had made them.
selves obnoxious to the gang by
taking part in the prosecution
we're fred upon in the Rainsborger'
district. The attack was made by
four men with handkerchiefs tied
over the lower part OF their faces
The doctors escaped without a
scratch, although their clothes and
buggy we're struck by several bul.
lets. The next day William, 'Fin'
and Emanuel RainsbOrger were
arrested. William gave bail aud
was released, while the other two
were placed in Jail at EIdora. That
night they were attacked in the
jail, taken away by mob Of over
one hundred men and riddled with
bullets. Their bodies were left
lying in the street. Instead Of
frightening the remainder OF the
gang this only made them more
desperate, aud they vowed to be
reveuged. Threatening letters
we're sent to the witnesses and an
effort made to lntimidate the peo-
pie. Horses aud cattle were ham
strung and killed, one family burn
ed out and several persons shot at.
Several cut.throats were imported
and were detailed for wholesale
slaughter. Then they began fight
ing among themselves. On No
vember Z the RainsOorgers tried to
kill John Bunjer, who had learned
some of their secrets. The tour
Rainsborgers who took part in the
} shooting, the mother of the murder.
ers, the daughter and son in.law,
and two women belonging to the
gang, whom they brought to their
house the Sunday before. may be
relied upon to sustain the allbi,
and it will be nine witnesses against
one. The people threaten to take
the law in their own hands.
AFarmsr's Fatal Mistake.
A frightful mistake occurred in
West Point Township, near Butler,
Missouri, on Sunday night. John
Redford Is a wealthy farmer of the
township, and suffers from de-
fective hearing. Early Sunday